The Wolverine: House of Cards
by COMIC-BOOKER
Summary: A friend of Logan dies from a drug overdose and he wants to find whoever's responsible for the drug known as Crystal Dust. His search takes him to New Orleans and he meets Gambit. Chasing down the source of this new drug, Logan teams up with the cocky Cajun mutant.
1. Chapter 1

_"How did she die?"_ A somewhat grieving Logan asks one of the three paramedics who are attending to the corpse of a woman he knew.

_"It looks like she overdosed on some kind of drug." _

One of the paramedics replies as they lift her corpse into the back of the ambulance while rain is falling down like tears from the sky. Logan knew her and she knew who and what he was but she never cared, accepting him for all he was. Her name was Josephine "Jo" Silver and she worked at a local bar that Logan frequently visited. During his many lonely nights sitting on a stool and drinking away his pain, Jo would offer a kind word or even a bit of advice on life even though Logan was centuries older than her. Rains runs down his face as the loner mutant watches the ambulance drive away and his grief makes place for that familiar feeling of rage and fury. Someone sold her the drug that killed her and he's going to find out who did it, and he'll make those responsible pay for it.

Logan makes his way through town as he has his hands buried deep inside the pockets of his leather jacket and he goes to the bar where Jo worked. He'll start here with his search for answers as a bar is as good a place as any to find your way into the world of drugs. There's an alley behind the bar and he closes his eyes as he pulls up his nose and takes in the scent of the area. Not too long after he picks up a scent that Jo's body carried and it was the drugs in her system that he smelled and he's smelling it again. He's standing across the street from the bar but the scent stays with him as he crosses and walks toward the alley behind the bar. As he draws closer the scent becomes stronger and and he feels broken needles and the stink of dried up vomit is heavy here. At the back of the alley there's a man leaning against the wall and the scent is strongest with him and Logan growls as he immediately heads for the man he sees.

As Logan approaches the drug dealer the man moves away from the wall and bares his yellow teeth as he smiles at Logan and says with a raspy voice. _"Hey man, you looking to buy something?"_

Logan immediately grabs the dealer by his throat and pushes him against the wall as he narrows his brow and with a feral glance to his eyes he says with a threatening snarl. _"I ain't lookin' to buy anythin' from you, bub. You're gonna tell me who you get your shit from or I'll clean the wall with your face."_

Logan's adamantium claws are already scratching at the surface as he badly wants to cut this scumbag in half and it takes a great deal of control on his end to stop this from happening. The drug dealer is high on his own product but the fear that creeps down his spine is enough to shake him out of his entranced state of mind. Logan squeezes his throat a little tighter and presses the back of the dealer's head more forcefully against the wall and pleadingly the scumbag says. _"I can't tell you that, he'd kill me. Please just let it go whatever it is you think you're after. Let it go man."_

_"Wrong answer."_

Logan replies as he clenches the fist of his other hand and a metalic noise introduces his claws as they slide out and he raises them and points them right at the dealer's face. Horrified by what he's seeing, the dealer turns as white as a ghost and starts to tremble as Logan brings the claws closer to the dealer's face and says. _''We'll try it again. Who do you get your stuff from? And if you give me bullshit again, I give your face a fuckin' free makeover."_

The dealer knowing that he's face to face with a mutant finally surrenders and tells Logan what he wants to know as he starts explaining. _"Dalton Crow. He's the one making Crystal Dust, I'm a no one. I just sell it for him, honestly. Please don't kill me. He lives in New Orleans that's all I know."_

Not only does Logan now know the name of the drug that Jo overdosed on but he also knows who's responsible for making it. The pair of claws he's pointing at the dealer's face slowly retract but Logan makes another threat before releasing the dealer as he says with a growling voice. _"If I ever see you out here again, I'll make sure you won't have hands left to sell with."_

Logan knocks the dealer unconscious with one good blow to the head and he leaves him behind in the alley as he now knows where to go and who to look for. Dalton Crow is the man he's coming to kill and he'll tear through all of New Orleans if that's what it takes to find him. Logan's currently in New York so it'll be a fairly long ride before he gets there but he wastes no time as he steals a motorcycle parked at the bar. He doesn't have a place of his own as he just wanders about but always ends up in a bar somewhere. The engine roars as he lights up a cigar and races down the street and makes his way toward New Orleans. It takes him about a day to reach his destination and it is early evening when he arrives, and the rich and thick scent that is New Orleans overwhelms his sense of smell for a moment. He's been here before, though that was years ago and in his past he's been here as well though he can't remember that. Logan leaves the bike behind as he just starts walking into town, looking for anyone who looks like trouble. His best bet is to find a local junkie or even a dealer and work his way up to the top, up to Dalton Crow.

The scent of bourbon is all but gone from the streets as almost every bar or club he passes has that familiar scent of liquid bliss and he could use a drink but ignores his desire for one as he just keeps walking. He uses his nose to smell the Crystal Dust drug that Jo died from as he won't soon forget the stink of it, the expression on his hairy face is far from friendly as he generally comes across as grumpy and annoyed. There's dancing everywhere as people take to the streets while holding bottles of alcohol in their hands and like a typical night in a town like this, everyone forgets their worries and parties on. Dalton's drug has a particular nasty scent and Logan's able to recognize it easily should he come across the smell of it. He stops dead in his tracks right in front of a small hotel as he smells something familair.

There's a welcome sign hanging at the front of the hotel and with little concern for anyone he crosses, Logan enters the hotel and immediately heads for the counter. He thrusts his fists on the counter and the man standing behind it raises his eyebrows confusingly as he stares at Logan's stern face. With a mumble to his voice Logan says to the man behind the counter. _"I'm lookin' for a good time. You wouldn't happen to know where I'd find some amusement, would you bub?"_

_''Remy LeBeau. Ask fo' Remy LeBeau, he knows how to party. Hangs out at the ol' Daisy Rose casino not too far from 'ere. Firs' street on your right."_

The owner speaks with a Cajun accent and Logan knew he had it right when he smelled a faint scent of Crystal Dust coming from that hotel. Someone has been dealing or using it in this hotel and so he took a chance and it worked. Logan immediately leaves after hearing the name of someone who hopefully can bring him closer to the source of this new drug. The first street on his right is where he enters and he spots the casino immediately as people roam about in and out of the place. With flashy lights and music playing loudly he narrows his eyes as he approaches the casino and enters it. Dense smoke hits his face as people everywhere are smoking and drinking while trying to cheat each other at poker and every other gambling game you can imagine. He strolls toward the casino bar and leans on the counter as he nods to the bartender and as the man approaches, Logan says calmly. _''I'm lookin' for someone named Remy LeBeau. He around here somewhere?''_

_''Back there. The one dealin' the cards."_

The bartender replies and nods his head to the left and Logan turns around to see where he's pointing at and he sees someone sitting at a table in the far left corner of the casino. All the way in the back sits a man with a few other people and he's dealing a hand of cards and that's the man the bartender mentioned. Logan orders himself a cold bottle of beer and with that in hand he walks across the room toward the table he was pointed at. Remy LeBeau is the one wearing a red crimson blouse with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He's got strong prominent cheekbones and hair that curls behind his ears, a typical Cajun charmer. Logan approaches the table and says to Remy with a firm but calm voice. _"You Remy? Remy LeBeau."_

Remy's attention isn't on Logan as he's far too focused on playing cards with the other men at his table. He's in his element as he wins almost every single time and people around town call him "Gambit" because he keeps taking everyone's money at poker. While pushing forward another set of poker chips, Remy says while not looking up at Logan. _"Maybe I am, Remy LeBeau. Or maybe not. What's it to you mon ami?"_

The words "Mon ami" are French for "My friend" though Logan cares little for fancy foreign words as he grabs whatever money he has left and throws it on the table as he pulls up a chair and joins the game. Remy finally looks at Logan's face and they stare at one another and Logan says while pulling out a cigar and lighter from the inside pocket of his jacket. _"If I win we go outside and talk. If you win I drag you out by your hair and we talk. Deal me in, bub."_

_''I think you goin' get into trouble talkin' like you are. But I play, I show you why dis is my town."_

Remy answers Logan with his thick Cajun accent and he deals him in while smiling cocky. The other men at the table join in as a new game starts and Logan exhales his first drag from the cigar that's clenched in the corner of his mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

The cards are shuffled and dealt face down though Logan doesn't look at his cards as he chews on the end of his cigar while watching the reaction of everyone else at the table as they look at their cards. Though his primary focus is on Remy as Logan watches the Cajun pretty boy look through the cards he himself dealt. Exhaling a vapouring cloud of smoke, Logan grabs his own cards and looks through them and he tries to show no reaction whatsoever. Keeping his cool as the hand he was dealt turns out to be a straight, they're playing five-card draw which unfortunately is not Logan's favorite game. He's a bad card player as he lacks the patience for it and usually ends up on the losing end with an ice cold beer to calm his frustration. Gambit keeps a close eye on Logan as both men exchange looks every once in a while and the tension at the table is so thick you can cut it with a knife.

During the game Remy makes a remark as he swirls a card through his fingers like a magician and says to Logan. _"You ain't a big card playe' are you now? Winnin' is no fun whe' the man you're playin', ain't playin' fo' keeps."_

_''Oh I play for keeps, the difference between you and me is that I'm playin' for more than just money." _Logan replies as he narrows his gaze and concentrates on Remy's eyes. The thick cigar in the corner of his mouth is burning up and Logan uses two fingers as he takes it out of his mouth and rubs it out. Pushing the ashtray aside as the end of the game draws near after a few rounds of betting and folding leads to an ultimate showdown between as luck would have it, Logan and Remy. The two players both show their cards and Logan has a straight while Remy emerges as the winner with his hand being a full house. Smirking in a cocky way as the Cajun card player takes the pot and says to Logan mockingly.

_"Maybe nex' time you think twice befo' playin' at the big boy table."_

Logan arches an eyebrow as he pushes his seat backwards and slowly stands up and with a demanding voice he says to Gambit. _"You're still comin' outside with me. One way or the other." _

Remy reaches to the long dark brown coat hanging over the back of his seat and slips it on as he stands up. With a smooth tone to his voice the Cajun says. _"Afte' you, mon ami." _

Logan clears his throat as he turns away and walks toward the exit with Remy casually walking behind him. He's already planning on getting rough with the man he just met as Logan isn't one for asking things nicely. When they've left the casino, immediately Logan grabs Remy by the collar of his coat and forces him against the wall as he says with a threatening tone. _"Okay shithead, you're gonna tell me what I want to know. Crystal Dust, where do I get it?"_

Remy's expression shows a confusion as he never figured Logan for a drug user. He holds his hands up as he shakes his head and says to Logan with that thick Cajun accent of his. _"You don' want to be takin' that poison. Trus' me on this, I seen what it does and it ain't pretty."_

_''I don't give a fuck what you've seen, bub. I need to know where I can get some. Tell me!" _Logan forcefully pushes Remy harder against the wall as he demands to know where he can buy Crystal Dust because as Logan figures he'll get to Dalton through his dealers. Remy has a different view on the subject as he shakes the sleeve on his right arm and a playing card pops up into his hand and much to Logan's surprise, the piecing blue eyes of Remy now turn bright red.

_"What the -"_ Logan's shock at finding out that Remy is a mutant is short lived as he gets thrown a few feet backwards by the exploding energy card thrown against his chest. Gambit reveals a full hand of cards and all having that shine of kinetic energy as he watches Logan get up on his feet again. Logan's feral eyes and angry brow are acompanied by a growl as he unleashes his adamantium claws and says furiously. _"You wanna dance pretty boy? I'll make you swallow those damn cards."_

Remy's eyes get bigger as he sees that Logan is a mutant as well and his metal-like claws are looking like they could do some serious damage. Though the Cajun mutant is no coward and he rolls forward over the ground toward Logan and throws a set of powered up cards at Logan's person. Cutting away at the cards thinking he can stop them, Logan is surprised again as they explode on impact and the skin on his hands is shredded and bleeding. He heals immediately much to Gambit's amazement and they fight each other as Logan swings his claws at Remy's body. Though the Cajun shows how good he is as he dodges Logan's claws each time and is able to land a few good punches that send Logan a few steps backwards. Logan growls furiously as he grinds his teeth and with claws raised he leaps at Gambit but the fight turns his way as he drops to the ground and sweeps his leg underneath Gambit's and sends the card-throwing mutant on his back. Pressing his knee against Gambit's chest and grabbing his collar as Logan aims one pair of claws at Remy's face, threatening him.

_''You wanna keep doin' this? I'll heal but you won't." _Logan snarls as Gambit raises his eyebrows surprised and with a tone of respect though not too much, he says. _"Mon ami, this is the firs' time I evah been beaten. Bravo!"_

Logan's frustrated brow shows how unexpected Gambit's words are to him as the Cajun stopped fighting and basically complimented Logan on beating him. The sharp metalic sound follows as Logan's pair of claws retract and he releases Remy's collar and stands up again. Remy follows as they both stands face to face. _"I'm lookin' for someone named Dalton Crow. Word about him is that he's responsible for that Crystal Dust crap. It killed a friend of mine, so I'm here to settle the score with Crow."_

Remy's eyes narrow as he hears Dalton's name and nods his head in agreement as he sighs and says in response. _"The Crow, I know abou' him. He a piece of shit. If you doin' all dis fo' a friend, I'll help you. People that kno' me call me Gambit, so do my friends."_

Logan draws back his hostility and crosses his arms as he recognizes the truth when he hears it and Gambit isn't talking bull. He swallows and says with a gruff but more easy going tone of voice. _"I'm Logan. So where can I find him?"_

_"No one knows, mon ami. He nevah come out in public. But his dealers kno' how to reach the man. We fin' the dealer boys, we fin' the Crow." _Gambit replies as he fixes the collar of his long thin dark brown coat and grabs a deck of cards from the inside pocket. He shuffles them and nods Logan to follow him as he starts walking down the street. Remy continues to shuffle the deck of cards in his hands and says while walking. _''Best way to fin' the dealers is to fin' the dark side o' town. We be there soon."_

Logan walks behind Gambit but pulls up next time to him and they walk side by side. He grabs another cigar and lights it as he exhales that first drag of smoke and gives his eyes plenty of time to observe the surroundings. As they walk toward the side of town that most people avoid as it has become a magnet for drug dealers and other scumbags, Logan asks. _"You the only mutant in town?"_

A question that sparks a particular interesting answer as Remy replies. _''Mutants? Mon ami, we ar' all mutants. But not everyone got power."_


End file.
